Alabama

Participants discuss downtown transit needs, benefits and challenges at the Alagasco Center for Energy Technology, Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority's public input forum on a new downtown circulator system. BJCTA will use the discussion to develop a technical plan for creating the dedicated transit route.
(AL.com / Mike D. Smith)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A new downtown circulator would be a good way to reduce traffic, boost the city's image for tourism and connect the region.

But the system must be accessible, reliable and safe, and have sustained funding.

Money would be a prime obstacle in creating a new system, as well as overcoming the stigma of public transportation, navigating local politics and fostering more regional cooperation.

Those were some of the more common themes shared Tuesday by about 30 people who joined the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority's discussion on establishing a dedicated downtown transit route.

BJCTA board members and officials have conducted focus groups and interviews in recent months along with Clarus Consulting Group, which facilitated Tuesday evening's discussion.

MAX's DART trolleys make up the present-day circulator-type system. However, the trolleys are aging and soon will need to be replaced, Mauldin said.

"When we make replacements, we want to do it in a meaningful way," Mauldin said. "It's not just enough to get a new bus. It's the total package."

Working in separate groups Tuesday evening, a mix of downtown residents, employees and business leaders answered questions about needs, benefits and challenges.

They seemed to reach a consensus that in order for a circulator to thrive, it would need better equipment and more consistent service than current transit. Rider safety would improve transit's image.

They also recognized money is key to the level of service, which is why it is important that local leaders and entities also understand the benefits of the system.

A good system would facilitate continued development of downtown, they said.Wade Smith, a downtown resident, said a circulator would unify the city's scattered amenities and make downtown a more attractive place to live and visit.

"I don't think it's any mystery what the issues are, but it's nice to see someone's trying to do something," said Wade Smith, a downtown resident, said of BJCTA's plans.

Mauldin said the group's feedback confirms BJCTA has opportunities for improvement. The transit authority has made and continues to make progress with existing equipment and service, she said. Thirty new compressed natural gas buses were integrated into MAX's aging fleet in 2013, replacing older breakdown-prone buses.

"Little by little, we are going to change the mindset about transit," Mauldin said.

The public input generated -- which includes downtown maps with attendees' scribbles of the routes and stops they'd like to see -- will be gathered and given over to the transit authority to begin developing a technical plan.

BJCTA's goal is to get the circulator in operation as soon as possible, Mauldin said.